Howard Fillit, MD

“Imagine a world where even primary care doctors could see a patient with a memory complaint, hopefully do a brief cognitive assessment, and send the patient off for a blood test, which then—just like in every other disease state&mdash;defines the diagnosis.”

data from the phase 3 EMERGE clinical trial

 suggested that a high-dose regimen of Biogen’s aducanumab, an investigational amyloid-beta targeting human monoclonal antibody, reduces the clinical decline of patients with prodromal Alzheimer disease. Despite not showing an impact on the clinical decline, a subset of those exposed to high-dose aducanumab hinted at supporting the findings. The treatment is now expected to be put forth in a biologics license application (BLA) to the FDA in Q3 of this year.

That assessment was conducted using an amyloid ß positron emission tomography (PET scan, dubbed Amyvid, which was supported in its early days of development by the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF). The ADDF has since gone on to aid a number of other initiatives in the dementia space and most recently has helped offer $50 million in commitments from leading scientific philanthropists, to develop a technology-based approach to the early detection of memory impairment and decline, through its Diagnostics Accelerator initiative.

To find out more about the overall goal of the initiative, what the ADDF is currently working toward with it in the dementia space, and what changes to expect in the coming years in the space, 

 connected virtually with Howard Fillit, MD, founding executive director and chief science officer, ADDF.

1. ALZHEIMER’S DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION’S DIAGNOSTICS ACCELERATOR ANNOUNCES FIRST DIGITAL BIOMARKER RESEARCH AWARD AND DATA SHARING PLATFORM [press release]. New York, NY: ADDF; Published April 29, 2020. Accessed May 15, 2020. alzdiscovery.org/news-room/announcements/ADDF-diagnostics-accelerator-first-digital-biomarker-research-award

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The founding executive director and chief science officer at the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation discussed goals and current work being conducted by its Diagnostics Accelerator initiative.

Howard Fillit, MD: ADDF Diagnostics Accelerator Initiative

“This is the first time that we’ve really had a really rigorous, well-done trial. If you think about it, all these other trials that failed may have failed because 30% of the people that went into the trial didn’t have the disease. That’s what the data look like.”

 suggested that a high-dose regimen of Biogen’s investigational amyloid-beta targeting human monoclonal antibody, aducanumab, reduces the clinical decline of patients with prodromal Alzheimer disease. Although results of the parallel ENGAGE trial reported no effect on clinical decline, post hoc analysis of a subset of patients exposed to high dose aducanumab hints toward support of the EMERGE findings.

Then, earlier this year, Biogen registered a new phase 3b 

, with the FDA giving Biogen the green light to proceed with the re-dosing study as the company seeks to demonstrate the drug’s long-term safety and tolerability in patients with Alzheimer disease. The treatment is now expected to be put forth in a biologics license application (BLA) to the FDA in Q3 of this year.

Howard Fillit, MD, founding executive director and chief science officer, Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, told 

 in a recent interview that this news remains the top of mind for him as the biggest development in dementia thus far. Fillit offered his insight on the landmark findings on aducanumab, and the impact the trial protocols might have on the future.

The founding executive director and chief science officer at the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation discussed the landmark findings from Biogen on its agent aducanumab and the impact the trial might have on the future.

Howard Fillit, MD: Aducanumab Findings Lead the Way in Dementia

“Alzheimer patients can often be confused, and I think actually seeing the patient through a video conferencing platform can be really advantageous as opposed to just a plain phone call.”

As more and more physicians begin to utilize telemedicine and video conferencing platforms to reach their patients in this time of pandemic, many have begun to think forward to the possible impact this may have on medicine. The overall consensus appears to be that this will push telemedicine forward in a way that, perhaps, may have been long overdue.

Although, even if this is the metaphorical push forward that was required to get telemedicine to this point, there are still challenges to be addressed in incorporating it into the daily care of patients. Howard Fillit, MD, founding executive director and chief science officer, Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, told 

 that the main obstacle to overcome is a small one—that really, it’s just finding how to mesh its use into the day’s workflow. For his patients, who are geriatric and often have Alzheimer and dementia, he sees this as a positive to improving their care.

In this interview, Fillit provides insight into his experiences so far with this technology. He also expands on what he foresees the future of Alzheimer and dementia care to look like, and more specifically, how this may not only move telemedicine forward, but could positively affect the assimilation of a number of other technologies into daily care.

The founding executive director and chief science officer at the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation detailed what he foresees the future of Alzheimer and dementia care to look like with telemedicine as a more permanent aspect of care.

Howard Fillit, MD: Telemedicine and Tech in the Future Care of Alzheimer and Dementia

“Telehealth has been percolating along for decades now, but this has really just accelerated the adoption of it in medical practice, but in a really good way. I think it’s going to change the future of how we practice medicine.”

One of the oft-mentioned silver linings that medical professionals have been able to take away from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been the rapid adoption and development of telemedicine and telehealth models of care. For geriatricians and their patients, particularly, this has, in part, proved to be a push in a positive direction.

For Howard Fillit, MD, founding executive director, and chief science officer, Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, this has been a long time coming. In an interview with 

, Fillit offered his insight on the long-lasting impact that widespread use of telemedicine will have on the care of geriatric patients with conditions such as Alzheimer and related dementias.

Fillit detailed his experience thus far adjusting to the use of telemedicine platforms and how incorporating virtual visits into the regular care of these patients can offer them a safe way to connect with their providers, particularly those who have trouble moving or are at-risk for falls. Additionally, it can offer physicians a way to connect with their patients’ caregivers to offer advice or get updates on patients.

The founding executive director and chief science officer at the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation spoke to the way the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the use of telemedicine for the elderly with conditions like Alzheimer and dementia.

Author | Howard Fillit, MD

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